Fluid apparatus



June 23, 1953 a. B. LINDERMAN 2,642,807

FLUID APPARATUS Filed Sept. 28, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet l m INVENTOR I 6. B. Aware/v1;

ATTORNEY June 23, 1953 G. B. LINDERMAN 2,642,807

FLUID APPARATUS Filed Sept. 28, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 6.5 A/A/04-EM4A4 ATTORNEY Patented June 23, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,642,807. 2 i I p FLUID APPARATUS Garrett B. Linderman, Washington, D. C. Application September 28, 1950, Serial No. 187,187

This invention relates to fluid apparatus which may assume the form of a pump or motor wherein multiple Cardan joints are utilized to articulate a plurality of concentric shafts with a common shaft. In the case of a pump, the common shaft would be the driving shaft, Whereas in the case of a motor, it would be the driven shaft.

It is of fundamental importance where the present invention is used as a pump, and preferable where it is used as a motor, that the angular relationship of the common shaft be adjustable relative to the axis of the multiple shafts. The lack of such adjustability has constituted a marked objection to the disclosure of the patent to Myard, 2,072,482, dated March 2, 1937, from a commercial standpoint.

The fluid apparatus of the present invention comprises a housing having fluid inlet and outlet ports, a plurality of pistons received in the housing, a plurality of shafts having a common axis secured to the pistons respectively, a Cardan joint connected to each of the shafts, a common shaft connected to the joints, and means for adjusting the angular relationship of the common shaft with respect to the axis. The pistons are preferably arranged in sets or pairs, with a corresponding number of shafts secured thereto, and physically may assume the form of rotary vanes for operation in an annular housing having an axis common to that of the shafts secured to the pistons.

The Cardan joints connected to each of the shafts are preferably arcuately displaced by 90 and have a common center of movement about which the adjustment of the common or third shaft is effected with respect to the axis common to the piston shafts.

Where the apparatus is applied to pumping, the shafts secured to the pistons are driven shafts which are connected to the driving shaft through the Cardan joints.

Where the apparatus is used as a motor, the pair of shafts having a common axis are driving shafts and the common shaft to which they are connected is a driven shaft. Where the motor is of the internal combustion type, ignition means will be provided at an appropriate point or points in the housing to produce the necessary combustion effects. And in order to time the ignition, the housing may be adjustably secured in order that it can be shifted with respect to the axis of the driving shafts. v

Internal combustion engines employing the principles of this invention require no ignition system or valves, have few moving parts, are

characterized by a high thermal efficiency since compression occurs in cooler portions of the housing while expansion is effected in the hotter portions, and produce a minimum of vibration because movement of all parts is rotational about their respective centers of gravity.

Where two pairs of pistons are utilized for either a motor or pump, there are four useful impulses for each revolution; in the case of a pump, four delivery impulses; and in the case of an internal combustion engine, four explosions and expansions.

A more complete understanding of the invention will follow from a description of the drawings wherein: V

Fig. l is a plan view showing the invention bodied in a motor;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken along line 2- 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective depicting the joints between the common shaft and multiple shafts;

'Fig. 4 is a sectiontaken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation somewhat similar to that depicted in Fig. 2, but applied to a pump;

Fig. 6 is a section taken along line 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a section taken along line 'l! of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of a piston assembly intended to be nested in the end plate shown in end plate depicted in Fig. 7.

The apparatus depicted in Fig. 1' contemplates a stationary base I 0 to which an adjustable base I2 is secured for arcuate movement by means of a pivot l4. Remote from the pivot, the adjustable base I2 is provided with an arcuate toothed portion I6 cooperatively engaged with the thread of a worm l8 mounted on the fixed base In by means of bearing straps 20, so that when the squared end 22 of the worm is rotated, a corresponding adjustment of the base l2 with respect to the stationary base 10 will occur., A motor support cradle 24 is secured to the adjustable base [2 by means of bolts 26, and receives a clamping cap 28 secured thereto by suitable bolts 30 to adjustably secure the housing 32 by engagement with it projecting tubular hub 34. The tubular hub 34 is integral with an end plate 36 of the housing "which abuts an annular housing member 38 whose opposite surface engages an annular housing member 40 which is in turn in engagement with a closure 42, all of which are assembled by means of bolts 44.

The tubular hub member 34 receives spaced annular bearings 46 and 48 which support a tubular shaft 50 for rotation with its web 52 and attached pistons 54 arranged within the housing. The tubular shaft 50 also contains an annular bearing 56 to rotatably support a shaft 58 extending through the tubular shaft 50 to receive a web 60 which is suitably secured thereto, the web carrying a pair of pistons or vanes 62. The end of the shaft 58 is received in a bearing 64 carried by the closure 42, the closure also containing a plurality of bores 66 for the reception of springs 68 which bear upon a sealing plate intended to prevent the escape of fluid from between the pistons to the interior portions of the housing.

The end plate 36 provides an intake port I2 and an exhaust port I4 communicating with channels I6 and I8 respectively, to distribute the fluid communication periods over the necessary portions of a cycle for satisfactory operation.

The end plate 36 also contains an opening 80 for the reception of a spark plug 82 or other suitable form of igniting device. Remote from its pistons, the end of the tubular shaft 50 is secured to a hub 84 carrying a bifurcated member or yoke 86 having its ends articulated by means of pivots 88 to a Cardan ring 90 which is also articulated by means of pivots 92 disposed on an axis displaced by 90 to the axis of the pivots 88, to the flanges 84 of a multiple yoke member 96 secured by means of a hub or collar 98 to a common shaft I00. The multiple yoke member 96 also carries a pair of flanges I02 more closely spaced than the flanges 94, to pivotally receive axially aligned ends of a crossed pintle I04, whose other axially aligned ends are received by flanges I06 of a yoke I08 secured to the end of shaft 58 by means of a huh I I0. As will be clear to those skilled in the art, when the axis of the shaft I00 is aligned with the axis of the shafts 50 and 58, rotation of all of the shafts will be at a single constant speed. However, when the axis of the shaft I00 is shifted angularly with respect to the axis of the shafts 50 and 58, then uniform rotation of the shaft I00 will produce varying conditions of rotation of the shafts 50 and 58. Similarly, where in the motor at present under consideration, the shafts 50 and 58 are the driving shafts, their varied movement during a revolution will be combined through the double Cardan joint just described to produce the desired effect in the driven shaft I00.

As will be clear from Fig. 1 of the drawings, shaft I00 is supported in suitable bearings by means of brackets II2 secured to the fixed base by means of bolts II4. Where it is desired to modify the stroke, and thereby the rotation characteristics of the shafts, the worm I8 can be rotated to swing the adjustable base to the desired point. Adjustment of the point of ignition can be effected by loosening the bolts and rotating the housing to the desired extent about its own axis, whereupon the bolts 30 will be tightened again placing the apparatus in condition for operation.

The application of the principles of this invention to a pump will be illustrated by the showing of Figs. 5 to 9 of the drawings, wherein the only substantial difference from a structural point of view is in the arrangement of the ports. In these figures, the same reference characters have been employed as in the case of the motor, insofar as will be feasible without confusion. Incidentally, the showing of Fig. 3 is applicable equally to the pump aspects and it is intended that for purposes of the combination, Figs. 3 and 5 be construed together. In this case, the housing is composed of an end plate I20 and a closure I22 between which is sandwiched an annular spacing member I24, the three parts being secured together by bolts I26 to define a chamber for the operation of the moving parts. The end plate I20 is provided with an intake port I28 opening into a channel I30 and an exhaust port I32 communicating with a channel I34. The closure I22 also contains an inlet port I36 in communication with a channel I38, and an exhaust port I40 communicating with a channel I42. A piston plate I44 secured to the tubular shaft 50 carries a pair of vane-like pistons I46, each of which contains a passage I48 open at the radial faces I50 of the pistons and through ports I52 penetrating the plate I44 for cooperation with the intake and exhaust channels I30 and I34.

A somewhat similar piston bearing plate I54 carries a pair of pistons I56 of vane-like configuration, secured to the shaft 58. This plate I 54 is received within the housing for cooperation with the intake and exhaust ports I36 and I40 through the use of passages I58 provided in the pistons, opening at their radial faces I60 and through the plate I54.

In this case, the common shaft I00 will be the driving shaft and by adjustment of the worm I8 to produce the desired angular relationship between the axis of the shaft I00 and the common axis of the shafts 50 and 58, the stroke of the pump will be determined and its force and volume established. As will occur to those skilled in the art, the two intake ports can be interconnected and the two delivery ports can likewise be interconnected if desired. The arrangement of the ports at opposite ends of the housing has proved to be most desirable to permit the adjustment of the stroke over a wide range without encountering by-passing effects between an intake port and a delivery port. Whereas only two specific examples of the proposed invention have been illustrated, those skilled in the art will realize that many variations can be made without departing from the basic concept, and accordingly, the invention should not be limited to such illustrations beyond the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Fluid apparatus comprising a housing havmg fiuid inlet and outlet ports, a plurality of pistons received in said housing, a plurality of shafts having a common axis secured to said pistons respectively, a Garden joint connected to each of shafts, a common shaft connected to said oints, a pivot for said housing having an axis intersecting the axes of said shafts at a point, and means for adjusting the angular relationship of said housing and said common axis with respect'to said common shaft.

2. Fluid apparatus comprising an annular housing having fluid inlet and outlet ports, a pair of pistons received in said housing, a pair of shafts having an axis common to said housing secured to said pistons respectively, a Cardan joint connected to each of said shafts, a third shaft connected to both of said joints, a pivot for said housing having an axis intersecting the axesof said shafts at a point, and means for adjusting the angular relationship of said housing tons received in said housing, a pair of shafts having a common axis secured to said pistons respectively, a Cardan joint connected to each of said shafts, a third shaft connected to both of said joints, said joints having acommon center of movement, a pivot for said housing having an axis intersecting said common center, and means for adjusting the angular relationship of said housing and said common axis with respect to said third shaft about said center of movement. I

4. Fluid pumping apparatus comprising a housing having fluid inlet and outlet ports, a pair of pistons received in said housing, a pair of drive shafts having a common axis secured to said pistons respectively, a Cardan joint connected to each of said shafts, a driving shaft connected to both of said joints, a pivot for said housing having an axis intersecting the axes of said shafts at a point, and means for adjusting the angular relationship of said housing and said common axis with respect to said driving shaft. 5. Fluid motor apparatus comprising a housing having fluid inlet and outlet ports, two sets of pistons received in said housing, a pair of driving shafts having a common axis secured to said sets of pistons respectively, a Cardan joint connected to each of said shafts, a driven shaft connected to both of said joints, a pivot for said housing having an axis intersecting the axes of said shafts at a, point, and means for adjusting the angular relationship of said housing and said common axis with respect to said driven shaft.

6. Fluid motor apparatus comprising a housing having fluid inlet and outlet ports, a pair of pistons received in said housing, a pair of driving shafts having a common axis secured to said pistons respectively, a Cardan joint connected to each of said shafts, a driven shaft connected to both of said joints, a pivot for said housing having an axis intersecting the axes of said shafts at a point, means for adjusting the angular relationship of said housing and said common axis with respect to said driven shaft, and means for adjustably securing said housing with respect to said common axis to establish an ignition point.

GARRETT B. LINDERMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

